Sports

World Cup winners named as Team of the Year at Laureus Awards

While the players weren't in attendance, Germany's Team Manager Oliver Bierhoff collected a prize on behalf of the squad at the Laureus Sports Awards in China.

Germany's World Cup-winning team has been recognized at the Laureus Sports Awards in Shanghai.

Germany's Team Manager Oliver Bierhoff was on hand to collect the prize presented by Russia head coach Fabio Capello. The DFB Team shrugged off competition from Formula One's all-dominating Mercedes team which features Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

It's the second year running that a German team has won the team prize with Bayern Munich taking the gong in 2014. The second German award in 2014 was Red Bull's Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel who was named Sportsman of the Year.

"Most of you would like to see Bastian Schweinsteiger, Manuel Neuer or Mario Götze," Bierhoff said. "Unfortunately, they play tonight in the Champions League so you have to make do with me."

Bierhoff admitted the prize was an honor "for two reasons. First, because the decision was made by great champions who know how much work goes into these successes. And secondly, given that it is an international award, it shows that we are good ambassadors for Germany."

Bayern's Mario Götze and para-alpine skiier Anna Schaffelhuber were nominated for sportsmen and sports person of the year with a disability, but those prizes went to Novak Djokovic and Tatyana McFadden respectively.

The event has been hosted for the last two years by actor Benedict Cumberbactch. Before him, the awards have been led by esteemed names like Kevin Spacey, Morgan Freeman and Clive Owen.

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